Pokémon: The Long Road Ahead
by LeTantris
Summary: Join Jack Quincy and his childhood friend Vera as they start on a journey in the region of Metvan. Faced with strong gym leaders, an evil organization hellbent on gaining ultimate power, and a character with a troubled past, this is one story you wouldn't want to miss! Rated T for some parts of the story.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Beginning of a Journey

The region of Metvan. Located somewhere near the Equator, it has a tropical climate with its own distinct landscapes consisting of beautiful mountains and exotic islands surrounding it. It is also home to a variety of Pokémon, some of which are said to have been introduced from distant regions. Many trainers would come to this region to do some training or just to rest and enjoy the view. While not being too well-known, it is known to all that there were also a few great trainers who have hailed from this region and have since made quite a name for themselves. Our story starts in the small town of Grungejam, where a certain young trainer is about to embark on a journey to follow his dreams.

* * *

The moment the alarm clock had started to sound, Jack Quincy had immediately leapt out of his bed and had quickly changed into his new clothes. He put on a red short-sleeved hooded top with a yellow-colored flame logo with a white circle on the center of it and a pair of black jeans. He then styled his hair into a spiky mess with some wax and had proceeded on putting his red wireless headphones on his neck when his door opened and a young girl about his own age walked into the room.

The young girl wore a crimson tank top with a black bottom which reached just below her knees. She was also wearing white-colored Running Shoes that were the latest models developed by Devon Corporation. Her hazel-brown hair was tied into a ponytail. There was a Budew perched on her left shoulder with a cute smile plastered on its face. The girl herself was holding what appeared to be a wrapped package.

"Good morning Jack! Are you ready to head out?" asked the girl. Jack attached his bag to his back as she was saying this.

"I sure am!" Jack replied enthusiastically. "How about you, Vera?" he asked.

"My stuff's waiting downstairs," Vera replied. "But enough about that, my dad wanted me to hand you this," she as she handed him the wrapped package, which he accepted.

"A package, huh? I wonder what's inside," Jack said as he unwrapped the package and opened up the box. Inside it was a red handheld device with five balls surrounding it. His eyes widened upon seeing the contents of the box. "It's a Pokédex! He even included some Pokéballs! Cool!" Jack exclaimed.

"Dad would have given it to you in person but he said that he needed to head off to work early. Anyways, your mother asked for you to come downstairs into the dining room." Vera stated. Placing the device in his pocket, the Pokéballs in his belt strap, and putting on his own red-colored Running Shoes, Jack followed his friend down the stairs towards the dining room, where his family stood waiting for them. Upon seeing him, his little sister ran up to him with a huge grin plastered onto her face while an orange chimpanzee-like Pokémon leapt off the dining table and proceeded to make itself comfortable by climbing onto his shoulder.

"Jackie! Jackie! Jackie! I made you something! Look! Look!" shouted his little sister enthusiastically as she handed him a necklace made with a black string that had its ends tied up tightly and a stone in the center of it that was shaped like a musical note. He gently accepted it from his little sister and had quickly put it on.

"It's beautiful! Thanks Jade!" Jack said, causing his little sister to beam at the comment.

"Yay! Jackie likes my gift! Yay!" shouted Jade as she began running around the house with her arms stretched out like as though she was mimicking a plane. Soon after, there were the loud sounds of her footsteps as she began to race back and forth on the stairs.

"Please be careful sweetie!" stated Jack's mother as Jade continued to run up and down the stairs. Turning her attention back to her son, Jack's mother pulled out a package from behind her and handed it to Jack. As soon as he received it, he quickly opened it and found a red Xtransceiver, a device that made communications possible, inside of it. He put it on and admired it before hugging his mother, who returned his hug with a few tears in her eyes.

"Your father would have been so proud!" stated the woman, as she began to sob. Jack drew back and then looked at his mother in the eyes before smiling.

"Don't worry Mom! I promise that I won't let you guys down. I'll definitely return home as a Pokémon Champion! I'm gonna make you both proud of me!" Jack said proudly as he held his mother's hand.

"I'm sure you will," replied his mother as she wiped the tears off of her eyes. "Now don't let me keep you waiting. You're a grown boy now. You're now free to go on your own adventures! Just remember to call us every now and then, okay?" pleaded his mother. Jack gave her a warm smile as he nodded and hugged her once more before making his way to the front door where his friend Vera was waiting for him. Seeing her friend after the emotional farewell, she gave a soft smile and opened the door. Upon exiting the house, Jack slowly inhaled the fresh air before letting out a loud exhale.

"Shall we get going?" asked Jack as he gave one more goodbye wave. Vera nodded as they both made their way towards the town gates that guarded the town from the outside world. Giving a brief salute towards the pair, the guard then opened the gates for the both of them. They thanked the guard and bid him farewell as they made their way towards the open road, where their adventures were soon about to begin.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, while they walked along the open road, the pair had started admiring the view that greeted them. The land on either side of the road was covered with grass as far as the eye can see with a few trees scattered around the open field. On one part of the field was a herd of Deerling that were hopping around playfully while under one of the trees rested a Zigzagoon that seemed content with napping under the shade. The Chimchar on Jack's shoulder made a joyful noise upon spotting a few berries on the bushes nearby.

"Looks like Farmer Stuart's crops are ripe for the picking! He probably won't mind if we grab a few of those Oran Berries, right?" asked Jack as he began plucking a few berries off of the bushes. Vera had also grabbed a few of them and placed them in the berry compartment of her satchel. How those things fit into the pocket may forever be a mysterious phenomenon that may never be answered.

While the pair were plucking a few more berries from the other bushes nearby, Jack had accidentally dropped a berry which landed on the head of a Rattata, causing it to get angry. The Pokémon then suddenly leapt out from behind the bush and landed directly in front of them as the pair were about to resume on their journey. Noticing the creature, the pair took a step back. But without warning, the creature immediately went and attempted to tackle Jack, who barely managed to dodge it at the last second. Seeing its trainer in trouble, the Chimchar quickly leapt off his shoulder and proceeded to take on an offensive position towards the purple rat.

"Alright! Our first wild battle! Why don't we show him some of our moves!" shouted Jack enthusiastically as the fire monkey began to dash towards the rat Pokémon. "Use your Scratch attack!" Jack commanded his Chimchar, who proceeded to attack the creature with a flurry of swipes. However, after three swipes, the creature had managed to evade it and had proceeded to whip its tail at Chimchar's face, causing it to stumble. Upon seeing that the monkey was momentarily distracted, the purple rat quickly delivered a tackle, causing the monkey to fall on its rear.

"Hang in there, buddy!" Jack assured his Pokémon as it was rubbing its aching rear. "Let's give him a taste of your flames! Use ember!" Jack ordered. Upon hearing this, the chimp Pokémon quickly got back up and proceeded to unleash small balls of fire onto the rat Pokémon, which struck all over its body. After the flames began to disappear, the rat Pokémon collapsed unconscious, signalling its defeat.

"We did it, buddy! Our first win!" yelled the young trainer out loud as he picked up his Pokémon and twirled it around with joy. Vera only gave him a shrug of her own as she continued onto the path, trying not to step on the unconscious Pokémon. Giving his Pokémon one of the berries that he had plucked from earlier and placing the chimp back on his shoulder, he then hurried after his friend with a wide grin on his face.

* * *

**A/N: And so begins a new tale filled with its own suspense and action. By the way, this isn't a remake of my first fanfic. Rather, it's a new story fresh off the boat. I hope you enjoy it! Stay tuned for the next chapter! Please review! I definitely will appreciate some feedback.**

* * *

A few minutes after Jack and Vera had departed the place where they had grabbed the berries, an old man carrying a wooden basket had arrived onto the scene, accompanied by his trusty Pokémon companion, his beloved Growlithe. Upon seeing a few of his berries missing and the Rattata that was slowly regaining its consciousness and struggling to get up, the old farmer began to put two-on-two together in his mind.

"So you're the rascal who's been stealing from my berry patch! I'll show you for eating my precious crops!" the old farmer said as he commanded his Growlithe to unleash an ember. Fearing for its life, the Rattata quickly made a few crazy dodges before escaping into the bushes where it quickly went for its hole.

"It looks like we're about to deal some pest-control work here. You think you're up for the challenge, boy?" asked the old farmer towards his Pokémon. The creature merely grunted in response and together, they proceeded to scare away the other Pokémon that had wandered a bit too close to the farm, not knowing that it was Jack and Vera who were the real culprits that had grabbed the berries from his beloved bushes.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A True Friend

* * *

After two hours of walking on Route 401, the two trainers took a break and had settled themselves on the grass nearby. Each one of them had taken out a fresh bottle of water and was enjoying their contents while sharing with their Pokémon. Suddenly, they heard the loud cries of Pokémon nearby. Their own Pokémon were immediately on their feet and had taken defensive positions in front of their trainers.

"It sounds like it's coming from over there!" Vera stated as she gestured towards the hills.

"Shall we take a peek?" asked Jack. Vera nodded in reply and the two made their way towards the source of the noises. Upon reaching the top of the hill, Jack crouched and tried to make himself look hidden. Vera followed his example and stared at the direction he was staring at.

Just a few meters away from them were six Pokémon, two with their backs on the trees nearby while the other four were closing in on them in a threatening manner. One of the two Pokémon, a tiny caterpillar-like Pokémon called Sewaddle, had taken up a defensive position while the other Pokémon behind it, a round pink creature called Cherubi, lay on the ground covered with cuts and bruises. The Sewaddle looked very determined to protect its friend as it glared at the flock menacingly. The four menacing Pokémon that were slowly moving towards them were bird Pokémon called Pidgey.

"Pi pi!" cried the leader of the flock, the members of the flock letting out their own cries. They then flapped their wings and rose onto the sky. Right after that, they swooped down towards the helpless Pokémon and were about to deliver their devastating blows with their beaks when all of a sudden, there was a blurry movement and something scratched at the Pidgey closest to the Sewaddle, momentarily making it stop and causing the other Pokémon behind to collide with it. The four bird Pokémon fell onto the ground and were struggling to untangle their wings from one another while the savior of the landed gracefully onto the ground.

"Char!" cried the Chimchar as it landed on the ground.

"You tell them, buddy!" yelled Jack as he proudly stood behind his Pokémon. Vera was with the other Pokémon and had started to use a Potion from her bag to treat the wounds of the wounded Cherubi. Beside her was her Budew who eyed the four bird Pokémon warily. Seeing that its friend was safe with the human, the caterpillar Pokémon turned to face the Pidgey, who had finally rose up to the air, with a brave look on its face.

Seeing the new threat that had appeared before them, the leader of the flock cried out what appeared to be an order and two of the Pidgey reluctantly made their way towards the Sewaddle while the leader and another one of the flock dealt with the Chimchar. Without any hesitation, the chimp Pokémon leapt at the first Pidgey and delivered a scratch attack while dodging a tackle from the leader, causing it to tackle its own flock member instead. Quickly recovering from the hit, the first pidgey went in for another tackle and managed to strike the chimp Pokémon from behind. Seizing this opportunity, the leader began to flap its wings at a high speed, causing a strong gust of wind that sent Chimchar flying away. The chimp Pokémon landed safely on its feet, a smile plastered on its face.

"Alright buddy! Let's show them our firepower! Use your ember attack!" Jack ordered. At once, the chimp Pokémon opened its mouth and fired balls of fire towards the bird Pokémon. One of the Pidgeys soon collapsed onto the ground while the leader of the flock remained persistent. It looked determined to take down the chimp Pokémon while it ignored the pain that the mark on its left wing was giving it, which indicated that was suffering from burns. It gave the chimp Pokémon a leer before it flapped its wings and flew into the air. The chimp Pokémon stayed on guard and was soon alerted by the sounds of the bird Pokémon tearing down from the sky at blinding speed, its whole body covered with blue flames, towards Chimchar.

* * *

Meanwhile, Budew and Sewaddle went against the other two Pidgeys with the two bird Pokémon having the quite the advantage. The four Pokémon stared each other down, the air becoming heavy with tension. Without warning, the two Pidgeys began to flap their wings quickly, causing the winds to strike the ground below. Soon after, the sand from nearby began to get sucked into the small tornado that was forming from the winds and with one last breeze from the one of the Pidgeys, the tornado had slowly begun to make its way towards the other two Pokémon. Seeing the predicament that they were about to be in, Vera quickly came up with a plan.

"Rosie! Jump quickly and use your Seed Bomb in front of the tornado's path!" commanded Vera. The tiny plant Pokémon obediently leapt into the air and fired a small orb of light at the tornado's path. It soon created a huge explosion upon impact which managed to stop the gust from advancing any further, creating a cloud of dust that covered the field. While the two Pidgeys were distracted by the sand, the Sewaddle immediately charged towards them and tackled the closest Pidgey, sending it crashing onto its partner.

"Use another Seed Bomb attack!" yelled Vera. The Budew quickly fired a second Seed Bomb towards the pair, which exploded and knocked them both onto the ground. Before the two Pidgeys could even recover, the Sewaddle whipped its body around, causing blades of energy to emerge from its body, which struck the two bird Pokémon with a barrage of the blades. The two were unable to take the attack anymore and had finally succumbed to unconsciousness.

"So you know how to use Razor Wind?" Vera asked the Sewaddle, to which it replied with a nod. "That sounds pretty nifty!" she said, causing the tiny bug Pokémon to blush. However, they soon saw an explosion from nearby, followed by a huge blast of energy that sent a cloud of smoke towards them. Vera quickly covered the three Pokémon with her own body. As soon as the winds stopped, she released the three Pokémon and, carrying the still unconscious Cherubi, made her way towards the source of the explosion together with Budew and Sewaddle.

Upon reaching the place, a shocking sight greeted her. On the ground lay the unconscious body of the leader Pidgey while its comrade lay just a few meters away from it, their bodies covered with scratches and burns. Sitting a bit farther from the unconscious bodies of the two Pokémon was Jack, who was holding onto his unconscious Chimchar, his shirt having been singed and torn in different places.

"Jack!" shouted Vera, causing the young trainer to look at his friend who had a concerned look on her face. He then smiled at her.

"It's alright!" he stated as he got up. He looked like a mess. While his shirt was beyond repair, Vera noticed that he seemed to be having bruises everywhere.

"You don't seem alright," Vera commented dryly. Jack suddenly grimaced in pain as she poked a finger on the bruise on his back.

"Ow!" he yelled out.

"You don't seem fine to me! Let's go and get you cleaned up!" she said as she quickly went over to where their belongings were and pulled out a first-aid kit from her bag.

"Yes mom," Jack stated, earning him a light punch on the shoulder from the girl.

* * *

A few minutes later, Jack was finally patched up and was wearing a new hooded shirt with the same design as his first one while the other Pokémon, consisting of Budew, Chimchar, Cherubi, and Sewaddle, had their health fully-restored by Vera, who proved to be quite the medic. The flock of wild Pidgeys had disappeared as the leader had woken up and had delivered a Sand-Attack to cover their escape, but not before it shot Jack and his Chimchar a pure look of hatred before flying away.

"What's his problem?" asked Jack as he took a sip of water before putting his bottle away.

"I'm not sure," said Vera as she put away the first-aid kit and took a seat. "Anyways, what exactly happened to you?" she asked, pointing towards the bruises that covered the young trainer's body.

"Well, you see…"

* * *

…_Before the flame-covered bird Pokémon could finish off its opponent, Jack had already made his way onto the field. With his back turned while his hands were stretched wide, he shielded his Pokémon with his body and cried out in pain as he took a direct hit from the Pidgey's attack._

"_Quick! Attack it before it flies away!" commanded Jack as he clutched at the spot where the bird had struck him. At once, the chimp Pokémon leapt onto its trainer's head. Before the bird Pokémon could even escape, the Chimchar quickly wrapped its arms around the flying Pokémon and began rolling before throwing the bird Pokémon headfirst towards the ground. The impact that it created upon reaching the ground was strong enough to knock the bird Pokémon out but while after performing the move, the chimp Pokémon felt a bit of the recoil._

"_Good job, buddy!" said Jack as he hugged his Pokémon._

_Suddenly, the Pidgey lackey that was knocked out from earlier flew high above them and began to flap its wings as quickly as it could, sending a strong gust of wind towards them. Jack held his Pokémon close as he took a direct hit from the attack, which was strong enough to leave cuts on his body and was able to push him back a bit. His fiery partner immediately opened its mouth and fired balls of fire towards the bird Pokémon, fully knocking it out. Finally able to rejoice, he sat down on the ground and let his Pokémon rest on his lap just as Vera and the other Pokémon had arrived onto the scene…_

* * *

"And that's what happened," said Jack as he finished up his side of the story. Vera then got up and gave him a smack on the head. "Ow! What was that for?" he asked.

"That was for doing something stupid and reckless! You would have dead right now if it had been a bigger Pokémon who had performed the move," said Vera with a worried look on her face. The young trainer rubbed at his head with an apologetic look on his face.

"I'm sorry if I worried you," he said. "But I couldn't let that thing use Brave Bird on my partner. It might have seriously injured my Pokémon and I was worried that it might not be able to take such an attack," as his face took on a gloomy expression.

As the two trainers sat in silence with sad looks on their faces, the Sewaddle and Cherubi from before began to make their way towards the pair. Seeing the two Pokémon, the two trainers looked up.

"Looks like you're feeling better!" Vera said to the Cherubi, who did a few jumps of joy.

"Rubi!" replied the Pokémon with a smile on its face.

Meanwhile, the Sewaddle moved towards Jack's bag and after seeing what it was looking for, tugged at the bag. Noticing that the caterpillar Pokémon was trying to tell him something, Jack pulled out the contents of his bag and the bug Pokémon immediately gestured at the Pokéballs as soon as he pulled it out.

"You want to come with us?" asked Jack, to which Sewaddle nodded in reply. It then proceeded to fire a String Shot attack towards Chimchar, surprising both Jack and his Pokémon for a while before he finally got what the bug-type Pokémon was trying to say. "But of course, you want me to battle you first to prove yourself?" he asked , to which the bug nodded in reply. Seeing that response brought a smile to Jack's face as he motioned for his Chimchar to take its defensive position. "Alright! Let's go, partner!"

"Chaaar!" yelled his partner Pokémon enthusiastically.

At once, the bug Pokémon whipped its body and unleashed a Razor Wind attack, sending white blades of energy towards the chimp Pokémon. As soon as it dodged the attack, the bug Pokémon immediately went for a tackle attack, hitting Chimchar directly on its chest. The chimp Pokémon was sent flying but before it could slam onto the trees nearby, it quickly recovered and, at the very last moment, kicked the stem of the tree and launched itself towards the bug Pokémon. It followed it up with a Scratch attack, which struck the Sewaddle on its face. However, the bug Pokémon wasn't about to give in easily so it proceeded to deliver a Bug Bite attack on the chimp Pokémon's hand. Despite the move usually having little to no effect on fire-types, it was enough to distract the chimp Pokémon long enough for the bug-type to unleash another Razor Wind attack, striking the chimp Pokémon directly on its chest at point-blank range.

"That had to hurt," commented Jack as his partner Pokémon crashed onto the tree from earlier. The chimp Pokémon managed to get up after the hit and was looking a little worse for wear. Jack soon noticed that the tree that it had crashed onto had burst into flames and that his own Pokémon's tail was burning brighter than ever before, signaling the activation of its Blaze ability. He then smiled as the two Pokémon unleashed their strongest attacks, the Sewaddle with its Razor Wind attack and the Chimchar with its Ember.

Their attacks collided with each other, causing an explosion and sending a cloud of smoke to cover the field. However, it wasn't over yet as Chimchar immediately went in for the kill and delivered a scratch attack, the bug Pokémon having to leap into the air to dodge the attack. However, the chimp Pokémon had planned this all along as it leapt up into the air after the bug Pokémon and grabbing hold of it, dove with it towards the ground, creating a tiny cloud of dust. The move wasn't exactly very effective but it was enough to weaken the caterpillar Pokémon slightly.

"Here we go!" said Jack as he threw a Pokéball onto the bug Pokémon. The creature was enveloped in a red light and was sucked into the ball, which dropped onto the ground. It shook once before it made a beep sound, signaling the success of the capture.

"Chaar!" cried out his Pokémon happily as Jack lifted it up into the air and began to dance around happily.

"Alright! Looks like we got ourselves a new buddy!" shouted Jack as he lowered his Pokémon gently and proceeded to grab the Pokéball containing Sewaddle. He then clicked the button that released the Pokémon from the ball.

"Sewa?" asked the bug Pokémon, who was covered with bruises on its face. It was smiling at the young trainer and was happily jumping with joy.

"Welcome to the team!" Jack said enthusiastically. Vera approached the three with a smile on her face, the Budew and Cherubi following after her. While the Budew had rejoiced, the Cherubi looked a bit sad. Vera soon noticed and bent down to face the pink Pokémon.

"How about it?" she asked as the young Pokémon looked at her questioningly. "Want to come with us on our journey? You can stay together with your friend!" she stated. The pink Pokémon thought about it before nodding and willingly let herself get captured by the young trainer. She then released her new friend, who quickly went to the Budew and began to chatter excitedly.

"I guess we both the same number of Pokémon now," she said to Jack, who nodded in agreement.

"Well, let's continue on to Bayville Town then!" Jack said enthusiastically. They then returned onto the road and continued their walk towards the town, which was only a few more miles away.

* * *

Later that night, there, at one of the alleys at the town, was a man running away from something. He was clearly near exhaustion due to his ragged breaths that he was taking and that his running speed was starting to slow down. Seeing a turn in the corner, he immediately ran towards it, hoping to finally find a way out of the alleyways. However, his hope was short-lived as he ended up reaching a dead-end. He quickly turned around to find a dark shape blocking his way out.

"N-no… Please don't! No!" shouted the man as he backed up and ended up bumping onto the wall. The dark figure let out a feral growl as it stopped just a few meters away from the man. Behind the dark figure was another person who was wearing a hood over his face while clutching what appeared to be a crowbar with his left hand.

"Criminals like you don't deserve to live!" said the hooded figure coldly, the rage clearly evident in his voice. He then snapped a finger as the figure in front of him charged towards the man, who had fallen on his knees, surrendering to the fate that awaited him.

'_I don't want to die!' _was the last thought in the man's mind just before the creature leapt onto him and tackled him onto the ground. It then opened its mouth to reveal its razor-sharp teeth, causing the man to feel dizzy. The last thing he could ever remember before blacking out was the feeling of the sharp teeth sinking deep into his cold skin, followed by the sharp pain that overtook him and his horrendous cries that filled the night.

* * *

**A/N: Hurray! Our two trainers have new Pokémon! But now, more questions start to form. Who is the hooded figure lurking within the shadows? How will our heroes fare against such a foe? Find out next time on Pokémon: The Long Road Ahead! By the way, feel free to review! I still need feedback! Oh, and I am accepting OCs for this story. However, there are a few conditions:**

**-It must be creative. It cannot be a character submitted in any other fanfics. I will check.**

**-Don't make your character too overpowered. It makes others look bad. (Maybe)**

**-Only five lucky OCs will make it in the story as "recurring" characters. All other OCs will just be minor characters.**

**So get to it and PM me your OCs. LeTantris out!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Shadow of Bayville Town

"We're finally here!" said Vera as the two trainers approached the entrance gate of Bayville Town. Both Chimchar and Budew had immediately leapt off their trainers' arms and began making their way towards the gates.

"Wait up!" yelled both of the trainers as they chased after their Pokémon. As the pair passed through the gate and entered the city, they took in a few deep breaths and marveled at the sight of the town in front of them.

The town consisted of a row of houses on each side of the street with a fountain in its center. There was also a park near the fountain with the Pokémon Center just opposite to it. Next to the Pokémon Center was a Pokémart, a place where many useful items were being sold. A few buildings before the exit gate stood the laboratory where Vera's father worked at. The two trainers walked towards the Pokémon Center with their Pokémon following after them and entered the building through its automatic doors.

"Hey there, Nurse Joy! It's been a long time!" said Vera as she approached a young woman wearing a pink nurse's outfit. She had pink hair that was tied up with two loops on each side of her head. She looked up from her desk and noticed the two trainers. Upon recognizing Vera, she immediately left her counter and embraced the young female trainer, who returned the hug.

"Wow, Vera! Looks like you've grown up quite a bit!" exclaimed Nurse Joy as she released the young trainer from her embrace and examined her from head to toe. She then turned to look at Jack, who had been watching the scene. "So who's your handsome friend?"

"Ah, I forgot to introduce him! His name is Jack Quincy!" said Vera.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Quincy!" said the nurse with a formal tone.

"Just call me Jack! Being called by my last name makes me feel a bit uneasy," said the young trainer.

"Very well, Mr. Qui- I mean Jack! My name is Carmela Joy but most people call me Nurse Joy," said Nurse Joy as she gave him a curtsy.

"Oh, that's right! We were just about to have you heal our Pokémon!" stated Vera. Upon hearing this, the young nurse's eyes widened with excitement.

"Your Pokémon? Does that mean that you're going on a journey?" she asked as Jack called out to their Pokémon. Vera nodded in reply to her question. Surely enough, both Chimchar and Budew leapt off the back of a Stoutland that they were playing with and rushed to their trainers' side. The nurse's grin grew wider as she saw the young Budew.

"Rosie!" she said. As soon as the Bud Pokémon heard its name being called, it turned to look at the nurse and upon recognizing her, leapt onto the nurse's waiting arms.

"Dew!" she chirped happily as she snuggled up to the young nurse.

"I'm happy that she still remembers me!" stated the nurse. "So, I take it that Rosie's not the only Pokémon you have in your party. Can I see the others?"

"Well, of course you can!" replied Vera as she held out her Cherubi's Pokéball. "Come on out!" A white light emerged from the ball as her cherry Pokémon appeared.

"Rubi!" it cried out softly. Nurse Joy let out a squeak of joy upon seeing the adorable Pokémon.

"I can't let you have all the fun! It's my turn!" said Jack as he pulled out his own Pokéball. "Check this out!" he stated as he clicked the button on the ball, causing it to release a white light. His sewing Pokémon, Sewaddle, emerged and, upon seeing new people, began to leap around with joy.

"Sewa!" it cried out happily. Chimchar followed suit as it landed right beside the bug-type.

"Char!" said the chimp Pokémon, jumping around with excitement.

"Oh my! Your Pokémon all seem to be very happy!" said the nurse with a smile. She then noticed a few bruises on the sewing Pokémon's face. "Oh? Your Sewaddle looks like it came from quite a battle."

"Well, he did get a little injured fighting against a flock of Pidgey when I first found him. I might have caused the other bruises when we had our own battle," said Jack.

"I see. In that case, let me take all of your Pokémon for a few minutes," replied the nurse as she gestured for the Pokémon to follow her. All of the Pokémon happily obliged and followed her to a huge machine behind the counter. "Oh, that's right! I also need you to hand me their Pokéballs. The machine only works when the Pokémon are in them."

"Sure!" replied the pair as they handed their Pokéballs to the nurse to have their Pokémon nursed back to health.

* * *

A few minutes later, the young nurse came back and handed the trainers their respective Pokéballs.

"Thank you for waiting. Your Pokémon are now restored to full health," stated the young nurse. At once, Jack pulled out a Pokéball and released his Chimchar, who climbed onto its trainer's shoulder. Vera released her Budew from its Pokéball and gently lifted it up.

"Alright! Thanks, Nurse Joy!" said Jack with a cheerful tone.

"You're very welcome." She replied. Her eyes then widened upon remembering something important. "Oh, that's right! Your father called me earlier. He said something about telling you to meet him in his lab."

"Really? I guess that means that we need to see him immediately," Vera said.

"I guess so," replied the nurse.

"Anyways, it's been a pleasure meeting you again!" said Vera as she shook the nurse's hand.

"The pleasure's all mine. I wish you luck on your journey!" said Nurse Joy as she gave Vera a short hug. Turning to Jack, she then said, "Be sure to watch over each other. You may never know what could happen the further you travel."

"I will," Jack replied. He then shook her hand and received a short embrace from her afterwards.

"Well, I hope to see you both again," said the nurse as she waved them both goodbye.

"Same here!" replied Vera as the two trainers both exited the Pokémon Center.

Upon reaching outside of the Center, they noticed that it was already dark and that there was a crowd forming just outside of the lab where Vera's father worked at. Fearing for the worst, the two trainers immediately pushed their way through the crowd in order to reach the lab.

"Dad!" yelled Vera as soon as she saw her father clutching his wounded arm, which was currently covered with scratches and bite marks.

"Professor Sequoia!" yelled Jack.

"Ah, Jack! Vera dear! What perfect timing!" said the professor, hissing under his breath as he felt another sharp jolt of pain.

"Dad! You're hurt! What happened?" asked Vera as she gestured at her father's wounded arm.

"Oh, this?" he asked as he held his arm up. "Well, you see…"

* * *

"_-AAAAAAHHHH!"_

"_What's causing all that racket?" asked the professor as he got up from his workplace and put on his coat. He then pulled out a Pokéball from his pocket and released his Pokémon, a grass-type creature which resembled that of a small grass snake._

"_Snii!" cried Snivy as soon as it fully materialized._

"_Alright, Watson! Let's go and see what's happening outside," said the professor. His Pokémon nodded in reply and the pair immediately made their way outside of the laboratory._

_Suddenly, they heard a feral growl coming from the alleyway beside the lab. As soon as they arrived, they found a hooded figure with his back turned against them in the scene. In front of the figure was an unconscious man with a big jaw Pokémon called Totodile biting onto his neck, a tiny pool of blood forming under the man._

"_We have to do something! Quick Watson! Use your Vine Whip attack!" commanded the professor which the grass Pokémon immediately obeyed. The creature quickly released two vines from under the collar around its neck and immediately began to unleash furious whips at the big jaw Pokémon, causing it to release its grip on the man's neck._

"_Hmph! Don't interfere!" barked the figure as he ordered his Pokémon to unleash another bite attack, ordering it to target the professor. The water Pokémon immediately leapt for him and sunk its fangs onto his arm._

"_Argh!" screamed the professor in pain as he struggled to pull the Pokémon off of him. His Snivy immediately lashed at the Totodile with more of its Vine Whip attacks, hoping that at least one of its lashings would be enough to pull the creature off of the professor. With one loud cry, the grass-type lashed out at the Totodile with one more Vine Whip, causing the water Pokémon to loosen its grip and giving Snivy the opportunity to pull the creature off. Letting out a huge grunt of effort, the grass snake Pokémon threw the big jaw Pokémon onto the feet of its trainer. The big jaw Pokémon immediately stood back up._

"_Tch! Oh well! My job here is done anyways. It's time for me to retreat," said the hooded figure as he retrieved his Pokémon back to its Pokéball before pulling out an unidentifiable object from his pocket._

"_What are you-?"_

"_See you around," said the figure as he threw the object onto the ground, causing smoke to envelop the area._

"_Koff… Koff…," the professor began hacking and coughing. He then clutched at his wounded arm as a sharp jolt of pain struck him. His Pokémon looked at him with worry in its eyes. "Don't worry about me, Watson. We can't let someone like him get away! Please go after him," ordered the professor. Looking a little reluctant at leaving its trainer, it obeyed his orders and immediately went after the hooded figure._

* * *

"… And it's been a few minutes since I last saw him," said the professor. Vera stayed silent at first before turning to face her friend.

"Jack, I'll stay here with Dad. You go find Watson," ordered Vera. Her Budew looked at the professor's arm and gave a soft whimper.

"Sure!" replied Jack. "Hold on tight, buddy!" he said as he ran towards the direction where the professor last saw his Snivy running off to, his Chimchar clinging onto his bag for dear life.

After a few minutes of running, he finally found some clues to the whereabouts of the professor's Pokémon. He found some puddles of water, signifying that there had been a battle in that area earlier. There were also some scattered leaves nearby and a few claw marks on the ground. He then noticed that there appeared to be a battle on the rooftop of one of the buildings. Seeing a flash of green in the battle, he immediately deduced that the Pokémon was Snivy and that the Pokémon had managed to catch up to the hooded figure. He quickly began to make his way towards the building.

As soon as he arrived at the scene, he found the injured Snivy lying on the ground, battered and covered with cuts. Across the field was a Pokémon that had big jaws filled with rows of sharp teeth. Beside the creature was the hooded figure that Professor Sequoia had encountered. The only features that Jack had found notable of the hooded teen were his snow-white hair falling just over his eyes and a scar just over his left eye. His Chimchar immediately leapt off his shoulder and prepared a battle stance.

"Hmph! First that pesky professor and now a young kid? I don't really care about either of you but if you're thinking of getting in my way, I'm afraid that I'll have to put an end to your life here and now," said the hooded figure as he signaled his Pokémon to take its own stance.

"I won't let you!" replied Jack. "Alright buddy! Use your Scratch attack!" At once, his Pokémon began dashing towards the big jaw Pokémon with its claws ready to strike.

"Dodge it!" ordered the hooded figure as soon as Chimchar entered Totodile's range. The big jaw Pokémon nimbly leapt out of the way as the Chimchar's attack missed.

"Char?" cried the chimp Pokémon as soon as it landed on the ground. Totodile immediately appeared behind the fire-type with a mischievous smile on its face.

"Perfect! Now use your Rage attack!" said the hooded figure. The big jaw Pokémon's eyes soon turned red as it began to unleash a flurry of attacks towards the fire-type Pokémon's back with its claws. It then finished up its move with a headbutt, sending the chimp Pokémon crashing onto the ground.

"No!" Jack cried out as his Pokémon landed head-first onto the ground.

"Now give him a good taste of his own medicine! Use Water Gun!" commanded the hooded figure. At once, the water-type immediately opened its mouth and released a shot of water towards the fire-type, dealing super-effective damage and sending it rolling away. It stopped just a few mere inches away from the edge of the building. Before it could attempt to get up, Totodile stepped onto the fire-type's chest, causing it to let out a cry of pain and continued to release a spiral of water at the chimp Pokémon's face. Before Jack could even rush towards his Pokémon's aid, the hooded figure tackled him onto the ground and began delivering a series of punches at the young trainer's stomach, knocking the air out of him.

"Like I said before, it's time to end this!" said the hooded figure as he prepared to unleash the final blow towards Jack with his crowbar.

Suddenly, a vine struck the hand holding the crowbar, causing him to drop it, and before he could even retrieve the weapon, he was tackled off of the fallen trainer by the battered Snivy from earlier. The creature then sent another one of its vines towards the big jaw Pokémon and pulled it away from the chimp Pokémon before it could finish it off.

"Thanks…" muttered Jack as he struggled to regain his breath. He then took the crowbar and threw it off the edge of the building, hoping that it wouldn't hit anything on its way down. He then slowly made his way towards his partner Pokémon, who was lying on the ground unconscious. He then lifted it up and held it in his arms before pulling out his Pokéball and retrieving it. He then grabbed the Snivy who was lashing out mercilessly at the hooded figure and made his way towards the elevator door that would lead him to the ground floor.

* * *

As soon as he reached the lobby, he was greeted by the arrival of some policemen and his friend Vera. He then pointed out the whereabouts of the hooded figure to the police and soon, they quickly made their way towards the rooftops. However, when they arrived at the scene, they couldn't find any trace of the hooded figure's presence there. The police soon released their Pokémon to help them search the area while the chief officer interrogated Jack on the culprit's personal features. He informed the officer of the figure's snow-white hair, his scar, and his skin color.

"Is that everything, Mr. Quincy?" asked the chief officer. Jack nodded warily in reply.

"Sir, the suspect got away!" said one of the other officers who had just returned after searching around the premises. The chief officer kept silent for a while before standing up.

"Alright then. I need you to alert all of the officers around the area. Tell them to watch out for anyone in the vicinity wearing dark clothes with a hood. Also, make sure to have them keep an eye out for a dark-skinned male teenager with snow-white hair and a scar above his left eye lurking nearby. If you see anyone acting suspicious, you are to report immediately to me."

"Yes sir!" replied the officer with a salute before proceeding to inform the other officers about the given orders. The chief officer then turned to face Jack with a serious look on his face.

"We may need to keep you around for a few more hours, Mr. Quincy. Just until we can make sure that you aren't in any immediate danger. Of course, we'll provide you free accommodations for the night at the local hotel and we'll pay for all of your expenses. Is that alright with you?" he asked. Jack nodded weakly.

Right after the interrogation, the two trainers were brought to a hotel room with two beds in it. Jack immediately collapsed on the bed upon reaching it while his Pokémon crowded around him with worried looks on their faces. Vera too had a worried look on her face as she sat on her bed and silently watched the sleeping trainer.

"_Poor Jack," _she said to herself in her thoughts. After a few minutes, sleep soon overcame her and caused her to drift off into the realm of dreams.

* * *

"Hmph! So you've returned," said a mysterious figure sitting on a seat that resembled that of a king's throne. The hooded figure from earlier had entered the room while clutching his wounded arm which had been severely damaged during the fight against the Snivy. He immediately kneeled before the figure cloaked in darkness.

"I have successfully executed your orders, My Lord. I've dealt them a blow that they shall never forget," said the hooded teen, who pulled his hood back and removed the piece of cloth that covered his mouth.

"Excellent! Now I need you to clean yourself up. You look like a mess and we are expecting a very important guest," said the man with a sharp tone.

"Yes, My Lord!" replied the teen as he bowed his head and departed the room. As soon as the door closed behind him, the figure seated on the throne stood up and gestured for his guards.

"Yes, My Lord?" asked one of the guards as all three of them knelt down before the figure.

"I want you to call in our elites. I believe it's time we prepare ourselves for the next part of our plan," stated the figure.

"As you wish!" replied the guard. After they left him, the figure began to make his way to a huge room where there was a huge crowd of people wearing cloaks with hoods over their heads. Upon seeing him, the crowd began to shout with joy with their fists pumped into the air. The figure immediately raised his arm, causing all of them to be silent.

"Today, we shall show the world why they should fear the powers of the divine realm! Today marks the beginning of their end and the rise of our group! Today, we shall initiate the next part of our plan and bring terror to the hearts of the people in this region!" proclaimed the figure. The crowd let out a huge applause and began to cheer out loud.

"Long live our Lord! All hail Team Universum!"

* * *

**A/N: A new organization has emerged! Just what are their true intentions? Stay tuned to find out more on Pokémon: The Long Road Ahead! Please review as I will really appreciate it and I need to know if something needs improvement or if I've made a mistake! Oh, and I've forgotten the OC format if you want to submit your OCs last chapter. So basically, it must include:**

**-Name**

**-Age**

**-Appearance**

**-Background**

**-Personality**

**-Pokémon in Party**

**That's all for now! See you all in the next chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: An Angel Appears!

"Ouch!" yelled Jack in pain as he clutched at his stomach after feeling a jolt of pain. It had been a week since the incident at the town. After having been interrogated by the local authorities and providing a rough sketch of the culprit, the pair of trainers was released from their grasp and Jack decided to take that opportunity and have a few days of rest in the Pokémon Centre. It was that very day that he had felt a bit better than before and had decided to head to the Professor's lab with Vera.

"Are you alright?" asked Vera as she eyed her friend with a worried look. She could practically feel his pain just from looking at him. Their Pokémon also had worried looks on their faces.

"Y-yeah! I'm fine. It was probably just something I ate." Jack stated as they resumed walking towards Professor Sequoia's lab, Jack's Chimchar and Vera's Budew trailing just behind the two trainers. After a couple of minutes, they found themselves standing in front of the huge laboratory and entered through its sliding doors.

The interior part of the lab was large enough to fit three basketball courts in it. There was a reception desk to the left with a smiling young red-haired lady sitting behind it. To the right stood a guard wearing a navy blue uniform who had been assigned to guarding the professor following the incident from the week before. He eyed the two trainers with a suspicious glare in his eyes before returning his gaze back towards his surroundings, leaving the two shivering from the coldness of the look that he had given them. Seeing the two trainers, the professor gestured for the both of them to come closer. It was Vera who had noticed the young girl who was standing in front of her father. She wore a red sleeveless shirt with a black skirt that reached just below her knees. She also wore an arrowhead necklace. Her hair was golden-blonde and her eyes were amber-red. She was quite tall for someone who looked to be about twelve to thirteen. The girl was eyeing them with curiosity as the two trainers made their way towards them. It was Jack who decided to break the ice.

"Hey there! The name's Jack Quincy of Grungejam Town!" he announced as he held a hand in front of him, which the girl shook firmly.

"My name's Vera and I am the daughter of Professor Sequoia!" said Vera as she too held her hand in front of her, which the girl shook.

"My name is Angel! It's a pleasure to meet you both!" she said as she bowed her head and smiled.

"Angel? That's a very pretty name!" Jack commented, causing the blonde's cheeks to flush a deep red.

"Char!" cried the chimp Pokémon standing behind Jack, obviously a little upset as he wasn't introduced to the girl.

"Sorry about that, Bud!" said Jack as he rubbed his head. He then gestured to his Chimchar. "This guy here is Buddy, my Chimchar!"

"Chimchar!" shouted the chimp while pounding his chest with pride.

"And this little one here is Rosie!" said Vera as she lifted her Budew up and showed it to the amber-blonde trainer.

"It's a pleasure meeting you too!" said Angel with a smile and a bow. The two Pokémon let out a happy cry upon hearing those words.

"Since we've all done our introductions, please have a seat on the couches!" said the professor as he gestured towards the lavender couches that were close to his desk. As the three trainers took their seats with their Pokémon sitting on their laps, the professor then switched on a projector, which then projected an image of a map. At a close glance, one could see that there were a lot of tiny red and blue dots scattered across the map.

"What exactly do those dots mean, Professor?" asked Jack.

"All in good time, kiddo." Professor Sequoia replied with a grin. "It's one of the reasons why I called you here. You see, I've started to notice some irregularities happening around the region lately. The blue dots here indicate the Pokémon living in a given area," said the professor as he pointed at the blue dots on the map. "The red dots on the other hand indicate something else. They indicate the places with bizarre occurrences in the past. However, it was only recently that I've been noticing a constant decrease of the Pokémon population in the marked areas of the map," he said as he pointed at a spot on the map which was shaded gray. "I have come to believe that these odd happenings have been affecting the Pokémon living in these areas and not in a positive way."

"What exactly do you mean by odd happenings?" asked Vera, who was looking at the map and analyzing the various spots with red dots among them. She was trying to find a common pattern to all of those patterns but so far, none have made any sense to her.

"Well, we've been hearing reports of passive Pokémon attacking unsuspecting trainers in a more aggressive way than usual like as though they've inhaled some sort of chemical in the air that's making them act that way. There was even a case in which a horde of Furret had attacked a town and destroyed a majority of the buildings in it, including the Pokémon Centre. They've sent in some policemen to watch over the people as they rebuild the town but I doubt that their lives will ever be the same again. At first, we thought it was just a new form of the Pokérus that were affecting these Pokémon but after having captured one of the Furret who were found responsible for the attack at the town and studying it for any trace of the Pokérus, we couldn't find any trace of the virus anywhere. However, we did find some unusual chemicals inside its body. We have reasons to believe that someone out there must be planting these chemicals into their habitats, causing all of those Pokémon to become more hostile upon contact. We're currently investigating the components of these chemical and its other possible effects." Upon hearing this, the three trainers were silent, unable to comprehend the things they heard.

"So I'm guessing that you've called us here to do something about it?" asked Jack, breaking the silence. The professor merely nodded in reply.

"Basically, I need you to capture one specimen from each route you encounter and send it to me for analysis," said the professor.

"Is that all? Well, that should be easy," said the boy with a confident smile on his face.

"Of course, I also need you to fill up that Pokédex I gave you. A friend of mine is currently doing some research on the Pokémon from different regions and he'll be more than happy if I were to provide him the data that you collect." Professor Sequoia said.

"I'll do that too!" said Vera.

"Well, I'm pretty sure you kids are up to the task!" said the professor with a smile.

"What about me, Professor?" asked Angel, causing the professor to turn and face her.

"Oh, I was thinking of having you accompany my daughter and her friend in their journey. After all, I heard that you're going on a journey yourself. So why not do it with the two standing before you?" the professor said calmly. Angel pondered about it for a moment before nodding in agreement.

"Then it's settled! You guys can-"

A loud scream pierced through the air followed by a loud explosion, causing all of the people in the room to go silent.

"What's going on?" asked Vera.

"I don't know but let's find out!" said Angel. The two other trainers nodded in agreement. They then hurried out of the lab to face the dangers that awaited them outside. The professor watched them leave with a worried look on his face.

"Please be safe," whispered Professor Sequioa silently as he watched their features slowly fade into the distance.

* * *

Outside the lab, the three trainers were surprised by the sight that had greeted them. Gathered in the center of the town were a horde of tiny, blue amphibious Pokémon that were attacking random buildings and passersby alike by shooting relentless blasts of water from their mouths towards them in a seemingly coordinated manner. There was also a horde of Zigzagoon attacking the other people in the vicinity. There were some trainers who were taking on the horde with their Pokémon but were slowly getting worn out by the sheer force of the hordes approaching them. Both Jack and Vera signaled to their Pokémon, who immediately dashed towards the hordes.

"Buddy, use Ember on those Zigzagoon!" Jack commanded his Pokémon. The fiery chimp immediately leapt into the air and skillfully shot a barrage of flames towards the Zigzagoon, causing them to stagger back.

"Alright Budew! While they're still down, use a Seed Bomb attack!" Vera yelled out, her Pokémon nodding in reply. The bud Pokémon immediately leapt into the air and fired a series of hard-shelled seeds at the Pokémon below. Many of the wild raccoon Pokémon leapt out of the way, except for a few who were sent flying across the field. The Zigzagoon soon retaliated by throwing filthy garbage towards the Budew.

"Don't let it hit, Buddy! Use Ember on those projectiles!" Jack commanded his Pokémon.

"Char!" yelled his chimp Pokémon as it fired its own flames at the flying garbage, destroying them and leaving a nasty odor and smoke in its wake. The Zigzagoon then proceeded to charge towards the chimp Pokémon for a tackle attack, the fire-type easily evading it and raking its claws at the Pokémon who continued moving towards it.

"Looks like these guys won't let up! Buddy, use Scratch multiple times at any of the Pokémon coming towards you!" Jack yelled out loud, his Pokémon merely nodding as it began to slash its way into the battlefield.

"We're not going to let Jack have all the fun now, are we? Rosie, use Growth and fire more Seed Bombs towards those Zigzagoons!" said Vera. Her bud Pokémon enveloped itself with an aura of green energy and began to grow rapidly in size.

"Dew!" cried the bud Pokémon with a deeper voice. It then proceeded to rapidly fire more seeds from its mouth, knocking the raccoon Pokémon further back due to its slightly increased Attack power. Many of the wild Pokémon began showing heavy signs of exhaustion but they continued to march on towards the two trainers' Pokémon as though they were in a deep trance.

"Goon!" growled the horde in unison, causing the two Pokémon to cringe back upon hearing the ferocity in those cries. With a bitter resolve, the raccoon Pokémon charged forward to attack the two Pokémon.

"That was a Growl attack! Looks like they're giving it all they've got! We can't allow them to finish off our Pokémon!" said Jack as he pulled out a Pokéball from his pocket. "Come on out, Stitch!" he said. A light emerged from the ball and from it came a caterpillar Pokémon.

"Sewa!" it cried out. Seeing the raccoon Pokémon approaching, the bug-type took on a fighting stance.

"Alright, Stitch! Give them a taste of your Razor Wind attack!" Jack ordered his Pokémon. The Sewaddle immediately whipped its tail around, creating a whirlwind which it then sent flying towards the raccoon Pokémon, causing many of them to get hit numerously by the white energy blades within the whirlwind. Many of the Pokémon caught in the attack soon collapsed unconscious onto the ground while there were a few more that were still moving towards the trainers at a slower pace.

"Time to end this, Buddy! Finish the rest of the horde off with an Ember attack!" commanded Jack. The chimp Pokémon opened its mouth and shot out numerous balls of flames towards the tiny raccoon Pokémon, causing them to all fall unconscious. "Good job, Buddy!" said Jack as he lifted up a thumb. The Chimchar lifted a thumb in response. "You did great too, Stitch!" Jack complimented his Sewaddle, the creature giving him a happy cry in return.

"You too, Rosie!" said Vera as she hugged her Pokémon. A huge explosion from behind caused them to turn around. Just a few meters away from them, Angel was holding out against the Wooper with a lilac-colored quadruped Pokémon fighting by her side. The lilac Pokémon was firing a series of blue and purple blobs of psychic energy at the water Pokémon, sending many of them flying. Each of the blobs then detonated a few seconds after sending the enemy Pokémon into the air, which resulted in them falling unconscious as they hit the ground. However, that was just a few of the many waves approaching the village. Soon, another horde of Wooper had appeared, this time being led by a larger form that resembled a grown-up version of them, a Quagsire.

"What are those Pokémon?" asked Jack as he pulled out his Pokédex. Targeting the Wooper, it read:

**Wooper. The Water Fish Pokémon. When walking on land, it covers its body with a poisonous film that keeps its body from dehydrating.**

Turning to the Quagsire and scanning it, the device then read out:

**Quagsire. The Water Fish Pokémon and the evolved form of Wooper. This carefree Pokémon has an easygoing nature. While swimming, it always bumps into boat hulls.**

Finally, Jack pointed his Pokédex at the quadruped Pokémon. It then read:

**Espeon. The Sun Pokémon and the evolved form of Eevee. Its fur is so sensitive, it can feel minute shifts in the air and predict the weather.**

"Well, Espeon sure sounds like a cool Pokémon to have! I wonder where I can get an Eevee!" said Jack. However, he had failed to notice that something else had etched itself onto the entry. _**Its fur is so sensitive, it can feel minute shifts in the air and predict the weather… and its foe's thoughts.**_

"Now's not the time for that, Jack! Let's try to assist Angel!" yelled Vera, causing Jack to snap out of his trance and signal for his Pokémon to attack the Wooper surrounding Angel and her Espeon.

"It looks like they've brought reinforcements! Comet, use your Psyshock attack at the Quagsire!" Angel yelled out. The sun Pokémon quickly fired another series of psychic energy blobs, focusing most of its attacks on the Quagsire. The water fish Pokémon opened its mouth and fired multiple balls of mud at the psychic blobs, causing multiple explosions upon contact.

"That thing's tough! Well, try this on for size!" said Angel as she took out another Pokéball from her pocket. "Come on out, Leif!" she shouted proudly as the ball released a beam of white light which soon materialized into a green reptilian bipedal Pokémon.

"Tile!" shouted the forest Pokémon as it took a battle stance.

"Woah! I've never seen that Pokémon before!" said Jack as he scanned the green Pokémon with his device. It read:

"**Sceptile. The Forest Pokémon. It agilely leaps about the jungle and uses the sharp leaves on its arms to strike its prey.**"

"Alright Leif! Use Swords Dance and follow it up with a Leaf Blade! Aim for that Quagsire!" yelled Angel. The forest Pokémon quickly dashed towards the water fish Pokémon at a high speed and began to spin around rapidly while the blades on its arms grew larger and glowed brighter. The water fish Pokémon wasn't able to react quickly enough as the reptilian Pokémon slashed repeatedly at the creature's body, leaving it no openings as it finished off the Quagsire without breaking a single drop of sweat.

"Just watch him go! He's like a machine!" commented Jack as he watched the battle rage on with the Sceptile slicing its way through the horde and the Espeon firing more psychic blobs at those who were left standing. He then commanded his Chimchar to take out those that they had missed with a multiple Scratch attack while Vera commanded her Budew to attack the others with Seed Bombs. Suddenly, he felt a strange presence behind him and turned around to find a lone Wooper staring at him with a neutral look on its face.

"Woop!" the little amphibious Pokémon cried out as it wobbled towards him. "Woop woop!"

"What the-? Another Wooper?" asked Vera as she signaled for her Budew to take a battle stance. The little Wooper then opened its mouth and fired a silver energy ball from its mouth towards her direction.

"Vera!" shouted Jack upon seeing the projectile explode and watched as smoke engulfed the spot where she had been standing. "No!" yelled Jack as he scrambled to make his way towards his friend. The flames on Chimchar's tail lit up with a huge intensity as it began to glare daggers at the Wooper.

"Look out, Jack! There's more of them!" yelled Vera from nearby, the Chimchar's flames soon lowering its intensity upon hearing the sound of her voice. As Jack turned his head towards the direction of her voice, he saw her on the ground unharmed and the unconscious form of a Zigzagoon on the spot where she had been in.

"Woop!" cried the little Wooper in alarm as it fired more silver energy balls towards Jack's direction. The young trainer immediately leapt out of the way as the balls exploded upon contacting the other Zigzagoon that had been attempting a sneak attack.

"Umm… Thanks?" said Jack as the little Wooper ran towards him with its small, round feet. It then rubbed its head affectionately on his leg and gestured for one of the empty Pokéballs hanging on his belt. "You want to join me? I guess I might be able to do you a favour if I do let you come with me." With that, he pulled out one of the Pokéballs and touched the water fish Pokémon's head softly, causing it to get absorbed into the ball by a red light.

DING!

"Cool! I have a Wooper!" said Jack as he pressed the button on the Pokéball which released the Pokémon.

"Woop!" it cried out proudly. Jack then patted it on its head.

"Alright! I think I'll call you Asher!" said the young trainer. The water fish Pokémon smiled in reply and jumped happily with joy.

"Hey guys! Come quick!" said Angel. As soon as the pair of trainers had come closer, the amber-blonde-haired trainer pointed at the northern exit of the town. "Comet has detected more enemies lurking nearby. They might be the cause of the Pokémon's behavior. Let's go!" she said as she hurried towards the northern exit, the two young trainers following just behind her with their Pokémon trailing behind them.

* * *

"Sir, we're about to have a group of trainers heading our way. What are your orders?" reported a figure wearing a black uniform and a white mask over his face. The authority he was reporting to was a figure clad in white armor. There was a bow strapped onto his back.

"I need you to provide the diversion while we clean up our mess here. Keep them occupied for three minutes and use whatever means necessary!" commanded the armor-clad figure with a sharp tone.

"Yes sir!" said the grunt who then hurried off to inform the other grunts about the situation. The armor-clad figure then turned back to what he had been doing and pulled out a vial from his pocket. He also pulled out a tiny cotton bud from his belt and took a swab of blood on a tree. He then inserted the object into the vial and placed it inside his pocket.

"We've accomplished what we've come here for. Now to report back to base," he said as he took out a Pokéball, an ominous aura slowly enveloping him.

* * *

**A/N: Something evil is slowly beginning to unravel and our heroes are caught up in the middle of it. The organization is soon about to make its move. And a familiar face makes another appearance. Don't miss the next few moments in Pokémon: A Long Road Ahead! **

**By the way, it's been a while! Thanks to decode9 for submitting an OC. I'm looking forward to receiving OCs from you guys! And check out my profile page for a poll that I have just created! Feel free to vote after you review! Until then, hope to see you in the next chapter!**


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